Question 137·Medium·Command of Evidence
In the late nineteenth century, many large cities in North America and Europe began replacing gas lamps with electric street lighting.
In a research essay, a student argues that one important motive for this change was concern about infectious diseases that flourished in dark and unsanitary streets.
Which quotation from a book by an urban historian would best support the student’s argument?
For “best evidence” reading questions, first restate the claim in your own words, pulling out the specific elements (for example: motive, topic, and any key conditions like disease or darkness). Then scan the answer choices for the one that clearly matches ALL of those elements—not just the general topic—by looking for repeated ideas or keywords (here, terms related to health, disease, and unsanitary streets). Quickly eliminate choices that talk about different motives (like image, technology, or crime) so you focus on the one that directly supports the stated argument.
Hints
Clarify the student’s claim
Underline or note the key elements in the student’s argument: they mention a motive, infectious diseases, and dark and unsanitary streets. Any supporting quote must address these ideas, not just talk about electric lights in general.
Focus on health-related language
Scan the answer choices for words related to health, disease, or contagion and to dirty or unsanitary conditions. Ignore options that only talk about technology, crime, or appearance.
Check the cause-and-effect relationship
Ask: Which quotation clearly presents electric lighting as a response to a health problem in the streets, not just as a new technology or a way to fight crime?
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate what the question is asking
You need to choose the quotation that BEST supports the student’s claim about why cities replaced gas lamps with electric lighting. The student claims that an important motive was concern about infectious diseases that thrived in dark and unsanitary streets.
Identify the key ideas to match
Pull out the core elements of the student’s argument:
- A reason (motive) for changing to electric lights
- Worry about infectious diseases / contagion
- Connection to dark and unsanitary street conditions (refuse, dirty water, etc.)
The correct quotation should clearly mention both public health or disease and street lighting as part of the same idea.
Compare each option to those key ideas
Now, check which choices actually talk about disease and health as a motive:
- Choice A: Talks about modernity and comparing streets to Paris; this is about image/appearance, not disease or sanitation.
- Choice C: Focuses on the technical advantage of electric dynamos burning all night; again, no mention of health or disease.
- Choice D: Discusses crime and doubts about whether lighting deters criminals; this is about safety from crime, not sickness.
- One remaining choice mentions public health commissioners, refuse, pools of stagnant water, and contagion—all directly tied to disease concerns and how lighting might reduce unsanitary conditions.
Select the quotation that best matches the argument
Because the student’s argument is specifically about concern over infectious disease in dark, dirty streets as a motive for electric lighting, the quotation that best supports this is:
“Public health commissioners contended that brightly illuminated streets would discourage the heaps of refuse and pools of stagnant water where contagion was thought to breed.”